Streetwize

Led by saxophonist Kim Waters, Streetwize operates as a charting contemporary jazz studio recording endeavor. Regular participants encompass vocalist Maysa Leak alongside guitarist Ken Navarro, while the remaining musicians shift based on each recording's requirements. Beginning with 2002's Streetwize: Smooth Urban Jazz, the collective has concentrated almost entirely on jazz interpretations of current rap and R&B successes, yet Waters' affinity for earlier R&B, funk, and disco surfaces through the addition of one or two classic tracks on most releases. Their second effort, Work It, climbed to number two on the contemporary jazz charts. 2006's Does Dre marked the first time the project centered on material from one artist. 2012's Feelin' Sexy presented ballads and 21st-century love songs, reaching number three, a position matched by the subsequent year's Body Party. 2015's Does the Divas became the first release devoted solely to female vocalists. Following a five-year pause, Waters revived the project for 2020's Ocean Eyes. Lift Me Up surfaced in 2024.

Waters launched the Streetwize undertaking after 2001's From the Heart, drawing from Blue Note's mid-'60s practice of urging its artists to reinterpret pop successes from then-charting performers. He had also begun performing additional covers in live settings that connected strongly with audiences. He pitched Streetwize to Shanachie, which approved the concept. 2002's Smooth Urban Jazz contained renditions of Mystikal's "Shake It Fast," Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat," and D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar." Although it failed to chart, the album earned strong critical praise. 2003's Work It refined selections popularized by Missy Elliott, Erykah Badu, and Jennifer Lopez, incorporating Randy Brecker, Erica Wilson, David Mann, and Chuck Loeb among the players. The collection reached number three on the Contemporary Jazz chart. Streetwize varied its approach with 2004's sultry Slow Jamz, which featured two Isley Brothers tributes in "Don't Say Goodnight" and "Between the Sheets," along with Avant's "Read Your Mind" and Beyonce's "Me, Myself and I," again peaking at number three.

Two years later the ensemble issued Does Dre, the project's initial release dedicated to a single artist's catalog. Beyond Dr. Dre hits, the set incorporated interpretations of tracks he produced, such as Eminem's "My Name Is," Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice," and "Nuthin' But a G Thang." The group maintained its slow-jam and cover-song approach on 2007's Sexy Love, named after the Ne-Yo hit and also encompassing Robin Thicke's "Lost Without U" and Kanye West's "Heaven (Only Knows)." The album closed with a version of Thom Bell's Delfonics vehicle "La La (Means I Love You)," attaining number nine on both the Contemporary Jazz chart and the Jazz Albums list.

In 2008 the collective returned to single-artist focus with Streetwize Does Mary J Blige. Presenting eleven of Blige's songs, Waters brought in producer/keyboardist Chris "Big Dog" Davis, guitarist Rohn Lawrence, and backing vocalist Timmy Maia. The release reached number four on the Contemporary Jazz charts, number ten on Jazz Albums, and number 26 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums list. That same year Waters also achieved a number-one Contemporary Jazz chart entry and Top 200 placement with his own I Want You: Love in the Spirit of Marvin. Streetwize delivered Put U to Bed in 2009, featuring readings of Mariah Carey's "My Love," David Balfour's "Chopped 'N' Skrewed," The Dream's "Bed," and Ledisi's "In the Morning," which remained on the Contemporary Jazz chart for seven weeks and peaked at number eight.

Waters devoted the following couple of years to recording and touring his solo work, securing a pair of Top Five results in 2010's Love Stories and 2011's This Heart of Mine. He reconvened Streetwize for 2012's Feelin' Sexy, which included covers associated with Robin Thicke, R. Kelly, Frank Ocean, and Anthony Hamilton, plus a take on the Atlantic Starr ballad "Send for Me." The album occupied the Contemporary Jazz chart for 20 weeks, peaking at number three, while logging 17 weeks on the Jazz Albums list and reaching number seven.

The next year Streetwize scored another Top Five success with Body Party, subtitled "Smooth Urban Jazz Vibes on Today's #1 R&B Hits!" and containing versions of Ciara's title track, Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home," and Tamar Braxton's "The One." The album also registered inside the Top Ten at Jazz Albums. Waters applied the same method to 2015's Does the Divas!, subtitled "Smooth Urban Jazz Vibes on Today's #1 R&B Divas!" and offering readings of Kesha's "Blow," Blige's "Whole Damn Year," Ledisi's "I Blame You," Jhené Aiko's "The Worst," and Sabrina's "Bang Bang," which attained number 15 on the Contemporary Jazz albums list.

Waters stayed occupied with solo projects for several subsequent years. After completing a holiday-themed album for Red River, he returned to Shanachie for 2016's Top 20 Rhythm and Romance and 2018's Top Five What I Like. He reassembled Streetwize for 2020's Ocean Eyes, titled after the Billie Eilish hit; the ten-song collection also presented smooth jazz interpretations of Chris Brown's "No Guidance," H.E.R.'s "Best Part," Khalid's "Talk," and Daniel Caesar's "Get You."

In 2024 Streetwize reemerged with Lift Me Up, a ten-track collection delivering contemporary jazz readings of current R&B and hip-hop successes—including Silk Sonic's "Leave the Door Open," Rhianna's "Lift Me Up," Lizzo's "About Damn Time," Post Malone's "I Like You," and Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More"—all reimagined in the smooth urban jazz style for which the project is known worldwide.